“So that it will not be detected?”
“Surely. A little steam will turn the trick, no wax having been applied to the flap of the envelope. Your radiator will serve us. We’ll find out in about two minutes what this letter contains.”
Nick arose while speaking and stepped to the radiator. He turned the key of the small air tube and opened the valve. A faint blowing and sputtering ensued, soon followed by the ejection of a slender stream of steam.
Nick adjusted it carefully, then held the back of the envelope in the thread of steam until the heat and moisture softened the paste on the flap, which he then opened without injury, removing the letter and laying the envelope aside to dry.
“Now, Chick, we’ll see what Martin has to say in this special delivery,” he remarked complacently, while unfolding the single sheet of paper so artfully taken from its cover.
Chick drew nearer to gaze at it.
The communication also was typewritten, on a sheet of perfectly plain paper. It read as follows:
“Dear Gus: The pay-roll package goes through to-night, Tuesday, on the Southern Limited. We’ll have the substitute down fine in ample time, and the other dead to rights. Be on hand to relieve us of the goods at the point agreed upon. Nothing doing until south of North Dayton. It looks like a walk-over. I will see you after turning the trick.
Martin.”
Nick Carter glanced through the letter, then read it aloud to his two companions. The significance of it could not be mistaken.
“By gracious!” Holden exclaimed. “You were right, Mr. Carter. It’s a job to rob the express car on the Southern Limited.”